Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Archives

Researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute announced the discovery of a new deep-sea snailfish species called the bumpy snailfish (Careproctus colliculi). This fish lives over 10,000 feet below the ocean’s surface and exhibits traits never seen before in the snailfish family.

Other deep-ocean snailfish are sleek and dark-colored, which helps them catch prey and blend into the dark waters. The bumpy snailfish is pink, with a large head and a body covered in bumps. These bumps are gelatinous, watery tissue that may help keep the fish buoyant under the high pressures of the deep sea.

Evolutionary explanations for how the bumpy snailfish came to be are unclear because its traits do not seem to increase its chances of survival but may instead make it more vulnerable to predators. Like all living things, it occupies a specific niche in the ecosystem. Dr. Mackenzie Gerringer, who analyzed the species in detail, said the discovery of this and two other species “is a reminder of how much we have yet to learn about life on Earth.”

As scientists develop new tools for deep-sea exploration, they continue to find life forms in every environment on our planet. Everywhere we look, we see a design in life that hints at an intelligent Creator who made Earth a living, dynamic place for humans. The truth of Romans 1:20, which states that we can know there is a God through the things He has made, appears more obvious today than ever in human history.

Reference: foxweather.com and mbari.org

An Octopus Garden — © Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

One of the more interesting creatures in the ocean is a small octopus called the pearl octopus (Muusoctopus robustus). They get their name because they look like pearls on the dark ocean floor. Because of their small size, they are easy victims of predation. They have no defense mechanisms and are an easy meal for various predatory ocean creatures. How do they continue to thrive in their Pacific Ocean habitat? The answer lies in an octopus garden.

Researchers discovered the octopus garden 80 miles from the central California coast at a place called the Davidson Seamount. A seamount is an ancient volcano that has either sunk into the ocean floor or has been covered by rising ocean water. The Monterey National Marine Sanctuary and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have studied deep-sea corals on this seamount for 20 years. They recently discovered an octopus garden – home to at least 6,000 nesting pearl octopuses and perhaps as many as 20,000.

The design of this “garden” offers successful reproduction of this vulnerable species. By being 10,500 feet down, they avoid many octopus predators simply because they don’t feed that deep. Like many other forms of life, synchronized birthing floods the area with offspring so a predator can’t wipe out a whole population. Hydrothermal springs at the base of Davidson Seamount warm the water, allowing the pearl octopus eggs to hatch much faster.

We see many remarkable designs in the biological world, allowing animals to survive. Every nook and cranny of the planet is home to some form of life, and this is just one more example. As Romans 1:20 says, “We can know there is a God through the things He has made.”

References: CBSNews.com and Science.org. To learn more about the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, click HERE.

Tag: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Bumpy Snailfish Discovered

An Octopus Garden